Musicians' Portrait Project

Stuart Laughton is one of Canada's best-known trumpet soloists. He was a founding member of the Canadian Brass at age 19; he rejoined the ensemble in September 2003 and is a member of The Canadian Brass Dream Team. With the Canadian Brass he has toured internationally and collaborated with ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra.

Stuart studied with Joseph Umbrico in Toronto before entering Philadelphia's prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where he was a student of Gilbert Johnson. He graduated from Curtis and immediately took up the principal trumpet position with La Scala Opera, Milan lead by Claudio Abbado.

In Canada, Stuart has had an active performing career: as concertmaster of The Hannaford Street Silver Band, as a founding member of True North Brass, and as concerto soloist with the Winnipeg and Toronto Symphonies, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Quebec's Les Violons du Roy. For twelve years his duo with organist William O'Meara performed throughout the U.S. and in Canada. The duo gave its final concert in 2003 at Harvard University.

Stuart is a passionate advocate of new music. For eight years he served as president of the board of R. Murray Schafer's innovative Patria Music/Theatre Projects. He is the dedicatee of Schafer's The Falcon's Trumpet (Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra) and has premiered solo works by many composers.

Stuart founded Opening Day Entertainment ( http://www.openingday.com/ ) in 1993 as a means of showcasing Canadian composers and performers. Four of Opening Day's twenty-four recordings to date have been nominated for Canadian JUNO Awards.